Feb 10 Obama Carbon Emissions Plan Stopped By Supreme Court

The Supreme Court voted Tuesday in favor of putting on hold President Obama’s Clean Power Plan. The vote, 5-4, grants the request of twenty seven states, including businesses, to block the shift to renewable energy away from fossil fuels.

The Clean Power Plan included a set of regulations to curb carbon dioxide emissions primarily from coal-fired power plants and was the centerpiece of Obama’s strategy to combat climate change. The goal being carbon emissions below 2005 levels by 2030.

The court’s decision supports the idea that the costly move away from fossil fuels would have crippling effects on the economies of coal and oil prominent states like Texas and West Virginia.

While it is quite the blow to the Obama administration’s climate change plan they consider the vote a quote “procedural decision” and are confident that the remaining states will cooperate, as well as new and additional steps to combat climate change.

With President Obama’s term ending in January, the next president will have the say on whether to keep fighting for the regulation.